Thunderstorms and Nightmares
by firestorm557
Summary: Movie verse. two brothers have a late night encounter in the aftermath of the Hood's attack on Thunderbird 5. oneshot.


A/N: so here is another thunderbird one shot from me. i know that there are alot of you out there that are waiting for another installment of Brothers in Arms, and i assure you that i am working on it. i am just seriously having a crazy case if writers block involvin that story. but it is coming, slowly but surely it is coming together. i have also been told that this story has some slashy, inicesty undertones. and if that is what you see when you read this, then thats what you see. it was not my intentions. so please read and enjoy and review!!!!!!**  
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Disclaimer: i most certainly do not own the thunderbirds, and for that i am eternally sad and grumpy.**  
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**Thunderstorms and Nightmares**

CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-KABOOM!!!!!!!!!

The thunder was intense, waking John from his sleep. Rolling over, he groggily looked out his window towards the storm. _Man, _he thought, _Mother Nature is being vicious tonight!_ Through the frequent lightening bursts he could see the sea in turmoil, could almost feel the intensity in which the waves hit the mountainside that the Tracy Compound was built upon. Every potted plant that had previously resided on his balcony had lost the battle between gravity and the wind. _See, I really don't miss this when I'm up in space_. Too lazy to get up and draw the curtains, he turned back over and closed his eyes, intent on falling back to sleep. That is until he realized that he was being watched. He opened his eyes as lightning illuminated his room once again, and saw that he was indeed correct. There in the corner was a huddled figure. As he was reaching for his communicator to sound the alarm, he realized who the huddled figure was.

"Alan?"

There was no response. The thunder and lightning continued, never diminishing in there intensity. John got out of bed slowly, his still healing body not allowing him his usual freedom of movement. Alan didn't react to his movement at all; all of his attention was focused on the ensuing storm outside of his window. As John got closer to Alan, he could see the tears that were running down his cheeks.

"Alan?" Again, no response. He knelt down in front of him, and still Alan didn't seem to see him, instead looked right through him. "Hey Alan, snap out of it. Come on Sprout." Now John was starting to get worried. The look on Alan's face was one of sheer panic. He cupped Alan's face and gently tried to wipe away the tears, but more just fell to replace them. "Come on Alan, just look at me." He grabbed hold of his shoulders and gave Alan a shake. "Alan! Come on man, snap out of it, you're starting to freak me out here!" He shook him again, and this time he was rewarded with a response.

"John!!" His name was not spoken from Alan's lips, it was yelled, and the panicked look had not left his face.

"Alan! Alan, look at me! Look at me Alan. It's all right." John continued to talk in a soothing, comforting voice. Alan turned to look at him, and at last saw him clearly for the first time since entering the room.

"John?" He said it tentatively, as if not sure whether or not he was even seeing reality. He reached a hand out and touched John's face. Just a brush of fingertips first, and then realizing that he was really and truly there, he cupped John's face, as John had been doing to him earlier. Suddenly John found himself with a lap full of Alan. Alan was hugging him tightly enough that his bruised and battered body was starting to protest, but as soon as he heard the sobs that were emanating from around his right shoulder area, he didn't have the heart to move his baby brother. They sat like that, wrapped around each other, for awhile, John whispering reassuring words to Alan and gently rocking him back and forth. When Alan had calmed down, John slowly untangled himself from Alan, and sat back, looking at him.

"You want to tell me about it?"

"No, no I should just go. It was stupid." Alan started to get up, but John grabbed his wrist and halted his progress.

"Alan, it wasn't stupid. Nothing that got you that scared will ever be stupid to me. So please, stay and talk to me." When Alan looked over at his brother, he saw nothing but genuine concern and love shining in his eyes. "Alright."

"Alright? Good, now help me up. Sitting like this is murder for my back." Alan quickly helped him up, and walked him to his bed. As John settled back against the pillows, Alan sat perched at the end of the bed, nervously picking at the sheets. He was avoiding John's gaze.

"So? What happened?"

"It was nothing. Just a nightmare. I'm fine now." Yeah, like John was really convinced of that.

"Come on Alan. You know you never could lie to me. I know all of your tell-tale signs all too well. Now spill. What happened?"

Alan looked to John, and again only saw concern for him in his eyes, not the ridicule or judgment that he would have expected to see from his other brothers.

"I….. I had a nightmare. About you. And Thunderbird 5. I mean, I saw the kind of damage that the Hood did to the ship, and you were injured, and my mind just kind of filled the blanks in themselves. And it was awful, John. What am I saying; of course you know it was awful. You were there. That's the problem. You were there, you were all there, and I couldn't do anything but watch as you all died slowly and horribly. And I just…….."

When Alan didn't continue, I gently prodded him. "You just…."

"Needed to make sure that it really was just a nightmare. But when I cam in here, it was like, like I was reliving the whole thing all over again. I don't know what happened."

"The storm." Alan looked up at him, a confused look on his face. "The storm triggered the nightmare. The thunder and the lightning coming from my open curtains. It must have been what triggered it."

"Yeah. Yeah I suppose so." Alan looked at John, and then at the still opened curtains. His gaze lingered there for a moment before he jumped up to close them, with a sigh of relief. He slowly headed towards the door. "Thanks John. I'm good now. I'll let you get back to sleep."

Again, he could tell that he was lying through his teeth. As he opened the door, John called out to him.

"You know, you're not the only one with nightmares about what happened up there, Alan." He looked Alan square in the eye. _I know that there's something else bother you, sprout, please let me in. _Alan had yet to move from his spot by the door. "Want to stay in here tonight?" Alan was wavering, but he could tell that he had not yet sealed the deal. "Maybe we can help each other keep the nightmares at bay." That got him. Alan closed the door and came and climbed into the other side of the bed.

"You sure you don't want me to leave?"

"Alan, if this is what will help you get a peaceful nights rest, then of course I want you to stay. You are my brother and I love you and worry about you. So stay. Sleep. And don't worry. I'll be right here when you wake up."

That reassurance was exactly what Alan needed. He snuggled down into his pillows, facing John. John turned onto his side facing his baby brother, and closed his eyes. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he heard Alan.

"John?"

"Yeah Alan?"

"What would happen to me if dad dies?"

That question, while not entirely coming out of left field considering what had been happening around here over the past couple of days, left him surprised. He propped himself up on his elbow to get a better look at Alan. His eyes were shining with tears that he was managing to hold at bay, but just barley.

"If we lost dad, then Scott would become your legal guardian."

"But……but what if…."

I waited for him to finish his thought.

"What if I lost all of you? What would happen to me?" The tears were getting closer to falling.

"Well, then Lady Penelope would be your legal guardian."

"Wouldn't be alone?" It was said so softly that I almost didn't catch it.

"Alan?"

"I just don't want to be left, all alone."

"Oh Alan." So that's what had been bothering him.

"I almost lost you, John. All of you. And I just needed to know that I wouldn't………. that I wouldn't just be left here alone."

"Alan, if anything ever happened to us, you would never be alone. There are so many people out there that love and care about you. Lady P, Brains, Kyrano. You would never be alone. Never." John reached over and grasped Alan's hand, and held on tight. Though there were tears running down Alan's cheeks, he was smiling at his big brother. Neither one removed their hands, and soon the exhaustion and the emotions from the night pulled Alan into sleep, hand still clasping John's. As John settled in once again with his pillows, he heard his door open and saw his father poke his head in.

"John? I heard voices. Is everything…….." Then he saw Alan, asleep next to John. "You guys okay?" he whispered.

"John looked over at is sleeping brother, and turned back to his father, affording him a small smile. "We will be dad. We will be."

the end

Please review and let me know what you think. your opinions matter to me!


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